An integrated circuit containing p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) transistors and n-channel metal oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistors may be formed with silicon-germanium (SiGe) epitaxial source/drain regions in the PMOS transistors. An hard mask containing silicon nitride may be used to block the SiGe epitaxial material from the NMOS transistors. It may be desirable to form a uniform thin hard mask to maintain lateral separation between the SiGe epitaxial source/drain and the gate below a maximum allowable distance and with a desired uniformity. It may further be desirable to remove the hard mask without damaging an underlying gate offset spacer of silicon nitride. Forming the hard mask so as to simultaneously satisfy these criteria has been problematic.